The history of the name Airly goes back those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain. Such a name was given to a male who was of manly character. The surname Airly originally derived from the Old English word Eorlic which referred to one who displayed manly characteristics. The surname Airly belongs to a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames. Nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. Often nicknames described strong traits or attributes that people wished to emulate in a specific animal.

Airly Early Origins

The surname Airly was first found in Somerset where one of the first records of the name was John de Earlea who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1162. A few years later, William de Erlega was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1190 and John de Erley was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1230. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) Bardsley claims the name was a local name "of Earley, a parish in the diocese of Oxford." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) He quotes another contemporary source "Lower says 'A liberty in the parish of Sonning, co. Berks.' " [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) The latter Berkshire local was confirmed by Reaney. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following found in Somerset: Clemens Erleghe; Phillip Erlee; and Warin Erlee. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) The Berkshire local is the only one we could find today.

Airly Spelling Variations

Airly Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Airly family name include Early, Erlegh, Erlee, Erly, Earley, Erle, Erley, Arlie and many more.

Airly Early History

Airly Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Airly research. Another 209 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 127 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Airly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Airly Early Notables (pre 1700)

Airly Early Notables (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Airly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Airly In Ireland

Airly In Ireland

Some of the Airly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Airly or a variant listed above: Robert Early who settled in New England in 1633; and Thomas Early who settled in North Carolina in 1700; Edward Erle settled in Virginia in 1635; Michael Earley settled in Philadelphia in 1868.

The Airly Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Airly Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.